Family Support Specialist

Family Support Specialist

Catholic Charities Community Services is currently seeking a professional, passionate individual who has experience developing partnerships and engaging with families to work in our Head Start program providing support to our staff, families and children.

Under the guidance and supervision of a Family Support Specialist Supervisor or designee, the Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing quality family services as described in the Head Start Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework. The Family Support Specialist is required to demonstrate competencies needed to effectively build strong rapport with families and coordinate and implement effective practices that facilitate a comprehensive service program for children and families. The Family Support Specialist is also required to form strong partnerships with instructional and other staff, and provide a secure and engaging environment in which families can identify, set, and achieve goals in support their child's participation in program services and activities for the purpose of school readiness and later school success.

Family Services

• Coordinates a system for on-going recruitment and enrollment into the Westside Head Start and Early Head Start program
• Responsible for determining family's eligibility for services using internal data management system; documenting income eligibility and ensuring accuracy on all intake forms
• Monitors internal data management system and audits records for compliance and accuracy
• Translates and interprets information and events to the family's home language and/or uses additional strategies and resources when lacking proficiency in the family's home language to ensure conceptual understanding and support
• Creates and maintains a welcoming, inclusive, safe, and supportive environment to facilitate and encourage parent engagement and participation in program services, activities, and events
• Monitors the delivery of Family and Community Partnerships to ensure compliance with Westside Head Start policies and procedures, the program's grant plan, Federal Head Start Performance Standards and Head Start Act.
• Meets the individual needs of each family by completing a strength-based needs assessment with each family assigned
• Develops family partnership agreements with clients; identifying and agreeing upon measurable goals and providing needed support and assistance to ensure families are successful in accomplishing their established goals
• Ensures completion of all health assessments and screenings within 45 days of enrollment
• Ensures the completion of all immunizations, physical/dental examinations, and follow up within 90 days of enrollment
• Initiates and facilitates local community partnership agreements
• Participates and collaborates with local service agencies and advisory committees and maintains current information on available resources, issues, and trends
• Collaborates with local agencies and programs to locate services and other resources for families
• Identifies and coordinates training needs for families

Family Engagement

• Builds positive relationships with parents/guardians and encourages family involvement in program activities
• Supports the implementation of the Strong Fathers Strong Families (SFSF) curriculum and engages fathers and other male guardians to contribute to the education of their children through their participation in program activities
• Conducts individualized social service home visits as needed on family needs throughout the program year, to build a strong home-to-school connection and support child/family growth and development.
• Maintains awareness of and contact with community based organizations and service agencies to utilize when coordinating parent meetings, training sessions, and social service home visits
• Provides advocacy for participant families and links them to needed community services and resources
• Provides families with information about community organizations and events and encourages their participation and further involvement in community groups and activities to promote parent advocacy and leadership
• Includes and involves parents in planning Parent Center Committee meetings and facilitates committee meetings with instructional and other staff
• Evaluates the needs and identifies the interests of participant families and coordinates parent education activities in support of these needs and interests

Teamwork, Communication, and Professional Standards

• Maintains appropriate communication with Head Start and Early Head Start teachers and other instructional staff and seeks out information and assistance from supervisors, managers, other staff, and parents as needed to provide services and fulfill job responsibilities
• Works closely with other Head Start staff to promote and maintain a high level of parent participation in program activities and ensures that parents are aware of and understand the full range of options available to them in becoming actively involved in Head Start
• Understands the requirements of Mandated Reporter Laws and our program policy on Reportable Issues and demonstrates the importance of informing their supervisor/manager of any concerns about children and suspicions of child abuse and/or neglect
• Demonstrates dependability by arriving to work on time, maintaining regular work attendance, and following program procedures when needing to be absent from work
• Accepts responsibility for participating in the planning and achievement of team goals and objectives
• Plays an active role in continuous self-assessment and evaluation of program services
• Demonstrates an ability to adapt to changing needs, problem solve, and incorporate innovations to fulfill program requirements and improve program services
• Accurately completes detailed documentation in our program database system which includes areas in Social Services, Health and ERESEA. In addition to documentation staff is required to conduct periodic reports within provided timelines to ensure compliance, follow up, accuracy and quality.
• Maintains confidentiality of personal information and the integrity of the record keeping process
• Participates in staff development activities including in-service, training sessions, and meetings as required
• Identifies own training needs for the purpose of fulfilling professional development requirements and individual growth
• Supports and assists other personnel by collaborating and supporting work activities as may be required
• Promotes ongoing commitment to excellence and continual quality improvement to ensure the highest quality of services to children, families, and staff
• Other duties as assigned

Other Related Duties

• This position may require flexibility in scheduling to attend and actively participate in evening and weekend events, including but not limited to parent meetings, family engagement activities, community outreach events, trainings, recruitment efforts, program celebrations, and other agency-sponsored functions as assigned.
• Prepares, and attends all meetings, trainings, and conferences as assigned.
• Maintains self and functional work environment.
• Performs other tasks as may be required for the efficient comprehensive, integrated program.
• Is proactive in the program efforts to recruit and enroll families that quality for CEDS programs

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of family studies and child development theory; specifically dynamics of socio-economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse families and early childhood development
• Understanding of the scholastic structures required for the coordination and delivery of a developmentally appropriate early education program
• Familiarity with Head Start standards, requirements, goals, objectives, policies, and procedures
• Strategies to motivate parents to become engaged in program services, activities, and events
• Understanding of and sensitivity to cultural differences within the community, program, and agency
• Techniques for accurate record-keeping and data management
• Awareness of community resources and available support services
• Understanding of Head Start Act and Performance Standards preferred

Skills

• Directing individual and group activities for families
• Proper English grammar and usage
• Communicating effectively with a broad constituency including parents, community partners, teaching teams and other instructional staff, supervisors, managers, leaders, and other internal and external colleagues
• Maintaining cooperative work relationships
• Using, structuring, and managing time effectively
• Understanding, following, and carrying out written and oral instructions
• Critical thinking and resourcefulness to overcome challenges and solve problems
• Managing change and demonstrating adaptability, flexibility, and responsiveness to varying needs and situations
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills preferred; may be required for some assignments

Abilities

• Work successfully with socio-economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse families in a high volume, data-driven environment of